Sill Branch Falls: Clark's Creek/Cherokee Wildlife Management Area, TN.
Short hike. Big falls. Nobody around.
The Hike: We have been to these falls about three times now but ALWAYS IN SPRING!! That is because the first time we went, several years ago in late summer, the creek bed was dry and there were gnats gnats gnats everywhere! They were so bad we didn't finish this short 1/2 mile hike to the falls! I am so glad Steve convinced me to try again in the Spring because it is a truly perfect little kids' hike... IN THE SPRING though, right? You have been warned. Bring dry clothes and towels. There are a number of great places to play in the water, including at the base of the falls themselves, and you don't want to have to be a a big bully about "not getting wet." With the hike being so short, wet kids will be fine till they get back to the car where they can change.
Directions: From Lamar Elementary School (intersection of Cherokee Rd and State Route 81), take 81 south 0.8 miles to the intersection with State Route 107. Turn right on 107 W (headed southwest past Fender's Farm). After 5 miles you will cross over Clark's Creek (tiny bridge) then go left on Clark's Creek Road. In 1.5 miles this narrow lane wanders into a well marked Cherokee Wildlife Management Area. At the entrance, take the fork to the right and follow a single lane mostly gravel road about 1.7 miles to a place with a small pull out on the left (36° 7' 41" N 82° 32' 3" W). The trail there is marked with two brown posts and blocked to vehicles by boulders.
Follow the trail till it splits. Stay on North Sill Branch Falls Trail to your left, going down a hill and crossing a stream. Keep going! Once you cross the stream you are almost to the falls!
Directions: From Lamar Elementary School (intersection of Cherokee Rd and State Route 81), take 81 south 0.8 miles to the intersection with State Route 107. Turn right on 107 W (headed southwest past Fender's Farm). After 5 miles you will cross over Clark's Creek (tiny bridge) then go left on Clark's Creek Road. In 1.5 miles this narrow lane wanders into a well marked Cherokee Wildlife Management Area. At the entrance, take the fork to the right and follow a single lane mostly gravel road about 1.7 miles to a place with a small pull out on the left (36° 7' 41" N 82° 32' 3" W). The trail there is marked with two brown posts and blocked to vehicles by boulders.
Follow the trail till it splits. Stay on North Sill Branch Falls Trail to your left, going down a hill and crossing a stream. Keep going! Once you cross the stream you are almost to the falls!
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Bridger's Pictures and Notes
Hi. This is Bridger. The hike was fun! You can see lots of wildlife, like this slow snail. You can also cross the stream but I didn't make it across this time because it was raining and the water was too high over the rock I wanted to step on. The best part about the hike was the slippery climb up the spur after we got to the falls. It goes up to the right as you are facing the falls. There is a cave at the top, but it doesn't go far back, so don't let it trick you into climbing all that way. When you are going it up, it's the easiest! But you have to think when you are climbing up something about if it will be harder to come back down. That was true on this slippery hill! Especially in the rain! Once I made it to the top, it was hard to get down. I made it to the last tree to the bottom. My mom was there. She helped me get the rest of the way down. I got lots of mud on my pants, shoes, and hands, but it was a good adventure.
Mom's note: I was torn about what to do when Bridger started climbing up this muddy hill. I want my kids to dare themselves to go on their own and test their skills. But hiking up is often easier than coming down with gravity's pull. Bridger learned this lesson that day! Another point we discussed with Bridger was that, with the trail being so muddy that day (it was raining steadily as he was climbing and descending), his feet tore the trail up in a few places where he slid. Wet conditions can cause greater human wear and tear on trails. Tread lightly! In the end, I let him climb and I'm hoping next time, with this experience, it will be pretty easy for Bridger to make the right decisions regarding safety and the protection of trails.